XRP Retail Activity Soars, But Price Stalls
Key Takeaways
Ripple (XRP) has seen a 490% increase in active addresses over the past three years – significantly more than Bitcoin. The majority of this growth occurred in Q4 2024. Despite this momentum, a sustainable breakout above key resistance zones has yet to materialize. The market shows clear signs of speculative behaviour, largely driven by retail investors. A true breakout in Q2 remains uncertain.
Strong Surge in User Activity
Ripple has experienced a massive increase in active wallets over the past three years. The number rose by 490%, while Bitcoin saw significantly less growth over the same period. Particularly notable: activity surged by 460% in Q4 2024 alone. This allowed XRP to outperform Bitcoin, which grew by 61% during the same time and reached an all-time high of USD 108,364.
In Q1 2025, XRP maintained its price level from the beginning of the year, while Bitcoin dropped by around 10.7%. Despite this strength, XRP was unable to break through key resistance zones.
Speculation Over Substance?
XRP’s price movement paints a volatile picture. On a daily basis, it has failed to establish itself above the USD 2.60 mark – a resistance level where the price already failed for the second time in March. Currently, XRP is consolidating around the USD 2 mark. This zone has historically served as support and could once again act as a launching point for a recovery.
On-chain data suggests increasing supply constraints. Approximately 2.23 billion XRP were withdrawn from exchanges at a price of USD 2.06. This points to a phase of accumulation, possibly triggered by FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).
Leverage and Risk on the Rise
In the derivatives market, risk appetite is also increasing. Open interest – the total volume of open positions – rose by 1.06% to USD 3.65 billion. At the same time, high-risk leveraged positions increased by 1.14%. This development indicates a speculative market phase focused on short-term gains.
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Such structures are vulnerable to sudden price drops when market participants pull back at the first sign of losses.
Whales Staying on the Sidelines
Large investors, known as whales, currently show little interest in XRP. The three largest holder groups have not rebuilt their positions. This suggests an ongoing selling phase. Without the support of these market participants, XRP lacks the liquidity needed to break through the USD 3 resistance level.
Another warning sign comes from the STH-NUPL indicator (Short-Term Holder Net Unrealized Profit/Loss). It shows that short-term investors often slip into the loss zone as the price approaches the USD 2.60 mark – a sign of weak hands and quick profit-taking.
Our Assessment
Ripple is currently benefiting from high participation by retail investors. However, the data shows that this activity is heavily speculative. Without support from institutional investors or whales, a sustainable breakout above USD 3 remains unlikely.
The market behaviour points to overheating. Unless demand increases significantly at key resistance levels, XRP is likely to remain stuck in a sideways trend. For you as an investor, this means: exercise caution with short-term speculation, especially in a high-volatility environment.
| Symbol | XRP |
| Coin type | Alt Coin |
| Transaction Speed | High |
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Further practical applications | |
| Price | $1.96 |
| 24h % | -3.74 % |
| 7d % | -2.50 % |
| 30d % | -7.00 % |
| 60d % | -18.73 % |
| 1y % | 218.19 % |
| Official Links | Website |
| Socials | X |
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